What are you listening to?

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 11:15 am

Haydnseek wrote:Bartok: Complete String Quartets - Hagen Quartet

This is the first time I've listened to them all straight through. Could be the last too

I greatly admire the Hagen, and I'm curious about your opinion of this set, which doesn't appear favorable at the moment. I've been listening to the Emerson, which I like a lot, but I don't think I'd like to listen to all of them straight through.

Speaking of the Hagen, I've been listening to their recording of the Schubert C Major quintet with Heinrich Schiff. The performance is rhythmically sharp and tonally beautuful, especially in the organ-like sonorities of the second movement.

John

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 12:52 pm

CharmNewton wrote:
Haydnseek wrote:Bartok: Complete String Quartets - Hagen Quartet

This is the first time I've listened to them all straight through. Could be the last too

I greatly admire the Hagen, and I'm curious about your opinion of this set, which doesn't appear favorable at the moment. I've been listening to the Emerson, which I like a lot, but I don't think I'd like to listen to all of them straight through.

Speaking of the Hagen, I've been listening to their recording of the Schubert C Major quintet with Heinrich Schiff. The performance is rhythmically sharp and tonally beautuful, especially in the organ-like sonorities of the second movement.

John

I like the Hagen and have a few of their recordings. Their's is the only Bartok cycle I own. These quartets have remained difficult for me even as I've learned to admire Bartok's orchestral music greatly but the more I hear them the more I like them. Nevertheless, 6 in a row led in the end to a bit of musical indigestion.

erinmr · Post by **erinmr** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:21 pm

In my CD player right now is Mahler #5, and Bartok Concerto for Orchestra. There is ALWAYS something Brahms in there -- right now its a collection of his short piano pieces. I also listen to classical radio quite a bit, at least when they are actually playing music.

~Erin

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:22 pm

Humperdinck, Hansel and Gretel. Cluytens conducting on Angel. My favorite version of this delightful opera.

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 9:25 pm

Haydnseek wrote:I like the Hagen and have a few of their recordings.

Unfortunately it's not easy to have more than a few as their recordings are not generally released in the U.S.

Haydnseek wrote: Their's is the only Bartok cycle I own. These quartets have remained difficult for me even as I've learned to admire Bartok's orchestral music greatly but the more I hear them the more I like them. Nevertheless, 6 in a row led in the end to a bit of musical indigestion.

I find the quartets difficult and austere. The Emerson is the only set I have on CD and I've been listening a quartet at a time via headphones. Like Brahms, this is music that can probably support many viewpoints from tonally beautiful (which is what the Emerson is and I suspect the Hagen plays it this way too) to the savage and angry. Having a score would probably help as well (I don't).

John

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 10:33 pm

Beethoven, Sym. No. 7, Toscanini, NBC Symphony Orchestra (BMG)

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:01 am

Offenbach, The Brigands. Albany/Troy

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 2:50 pm

john johnson: lute music (naxos)

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 1:25 am

Tonight, I'm heading south for some Cubano music--Ernesto Lecuona's (1895-1963) piano works. Much of it is in the form as arranged by Thomas Tirino (for piano and various instruments), who also plays all of the piano parts. Much of Lecuona's music is reminiscent of Chopin, with that unmistakable, sunny Cuban flavor, of course.

CD Title: Ernesto Lecuona: The Complete Piano Music, Volume 5

Danzas Afro-Cubanas

Danzas Cubanas

Tres Valses

Album de Valses

Vals Rosa

Vals del Rhin

Vals de Pierrot

Pasa Calle and Java (from the 20th Century Fox Film Carnival in Costa Rica)

Music for Zarzuela:

Lamento Africano

La Ronda del Amor

La Mulata Chancletera

Label: BIS

Distributor: Qualiton Imports LTD.

Febnyc · Post by **Febnyc** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 6:43 am

Jesus Guridi (1886-1961) Sinfonia pirenaica (Naxos 8.557631)

Another in Naxos' interesting series on Spanish composers, this disc presents the mighty Pyrenean Symphony (Sinfonia pirenaica) of the Basque Jesus Guridi. The work is in three large movements (total time: 50 minutes) which are strong and colorful and represent the composer's homage to his homeland. There is a decided power in the piece - which combines impressionistic music with folk melodies. There's no slow movement, per se, but each of the three contains lots of beautiful, rhapsodic sections. And, I never lost interest throughout the 50-minute span.

I can't choose a comparison too easily - maybe the Pyrenean, with its scene-painting, is like a more classical Grand Canyon Suite - or perhaps akin to Vaughan-Williams' A London Symphony - veering, as it does, from fast to slow music within movements.

Naxos' sound is as bright and full as I've heard on any other disc. And the orchestra (Bilbao SO) is super. The winds and, in particular, the brass are excellent.

This is a memorable work, squarely in the tone-poem/nationalistic Romantic tradition. I'll listen to it often.

premont · Post by **premont** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 6:58 pm

Händels Eight great suites for harpsichord First collection.
Lutger Remy (CPO) playing.
An extremely individual, inventive and inspiring interpretation.
If you think, this music is inferior to the contemporary music of Bach and the music of the French clavicinists, Lutger Remy will make you think otherwise. These are clearly even within the scope of Händels production some of his most important works.

Post by **Lance** » Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:49 pm

Another Italian Urania CD, this one three concertos:

URANIA SP 4227, ADD, 65:53.

Beethoven: PC #3 in c, Op. 37 w/USSR State SO, Hermann Abendroth, conductor. Rec. October 1954, Moscow.

Liszt: PC #1 in E-flat, w/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Karel Ancerl, conductor. Rec. June 3, 1954, Prague.

Prokofiev: PC #1 in D-flat, Op. 10 w/Prague SO, Karl Ancerl, conductor, Rec. May 1954.

Remastering on this is better than most of the Richters I've heard on this label. And, of course, it IS Richter!

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:46 am

Boulez, Le marteau sans maître

Really enjoying revisiting this! and I'd say that even if I hadn't had to endure Woody Guthrie's "Dust Bowl Refugee" last night . . . .

:-)

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 1:21 pm

Well . . .

Boulez, Pli selon pli

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:55 pm

Pretty mainstream fare for me:

Dvorak, Serenade for Strings

Sibelius, VC, Gothenburg SO.

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:35 pm

Schubert Symphony No. 6 - Colin Davis, Staatskapelle Dresden

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:05 am

Miklos Rozsa, Violin and Cello Concertos. Telarc.
Robert Simpson, The Four Temperaments. Hyperion.
Respighi, Orchestral Transcriptions. Telarc.
Robert Simpson, The Complete Solo Piano Music. Hyperion.
Liszt, Dante Symphony. Telarc.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:50 pm

Well, I've jusf gotten off a 3-hour bus trip around the city, with my Walkman & THESE tapes in tow:

An LSO compilation--with Krips conducting the Leonore Overture 3; Strauss' E-flat Horn Concerto, with Tuckwell/Kertesz; Previn doing Albinoni's Adagio; George Weldon doing Danse Macabre; Kenneth Alwyn doing Marche Slave; and about 7 other pops-type items.

AND, a tape of Franck's complete Psyche; Ton de Leeuw's Composition FOr Orchestra; & Willem van Otterloo's Concerto For 16 Winds--all led by van Otterloo himself (Hague Phil.).

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 4:00 pm

Brahms: First String Quartet - Verdi Quartet
Brahms: First Violin Sonata - Ilya Kaler and Alexander Peskanov
Vaughan Williams: Fifth Symphony - Haitink, London Philharmonic
Mozart: Piano Concertos 22 and 27 - Brendel, MacKerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 7:10 pm

Mahler, Sym. No. 7, Bernstein, NYP. A great performance.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:38 pm

Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, Rattle, BPO (EMI)

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 9:41 pm

Dvorak, Symphony No. 9. A new release from TELARC with Paavo Jarvi leading the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. A very good performance of this rarely recorded piece.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 5:54 am

Mozart, Symphony No. 38, VPO, Bernstein (DG)

BuKiNisT · Post by **BuKiNisT** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 9:10 am

Dvorak, Symphony No. 9. A new release from TELARC with Paavo Jarvi leading the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. A very good performance of this rarely recorded piece.

Oh yeah, Ralph, I own this one too. A good recording of an outstanding piece

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 11:56 am

Schumann, Symphonies 2 & 4, New York Philharmonic under Masur (TELDEC). Very nice performances.

MaestroDJS · Post by **MaestroDJS** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:05 pm

Ah, memories. WFMT Chicago just broadcast:

Felix Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor – Itzhak Perlman, Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim. Erato 91732-2. [27’]

This was a live recording, in concert, May 1993. And I was there!

Dave

David Stybr, Engineer and Composer: It's Left Brain vs. Right Brain: best 2 falls out of 3
http://members.SibeliusMusic.com/Stybr
Fanfare for a Meeting of the Minds (1:00)
http://www.SibeliusMusic.com/cgi-bin/sh ... reid=74514

Personal Assistant and Der Webmeister to author Denise Swanson
http://www.DeniseSwanson.com
Murder of a Smart Cookie
Penguin Putnam ~ Signet, New York, NY

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 1:21 pm

And now Schumann Symphonies 1 & 3, again Masur conducting the New York Philharmonic (TELDEC).

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:35 pm

"Carmen," conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham with the great Victoria de los Angeles in the title role.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 5:50 pm

Adams, Naive and Sentimental Music. Nonesuch.

A spellbinding, powerful work, my current favorite among his works. I was lucky enough to hear him introduce this work in a preconcert lecture--in the Q&A, someone actually asked him in all seriousness whether he had to fall in love before he could compose a new work. His answer: "No sir, I am a happily married man!"

P.S. A large portion of the audience in Severance Hall loudly booed the work. Nice to know music can still reach people.

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 9:37 pm

Brahms, Symphony No. 1, LSO, Haitink (on the orchestra's own mid-price label).

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 5:25 am

Sibelius, Symphonies 1, 3 and 7. The LSO under Sir Colin Davis. His second cycle, outstanding performances.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 7:00 am

Rimsky-Korsakov: Sheherazade
Kirov (Mariinsky) Orchestra / Gergiev

. . . and (mash the link, Ralph! :-) . . .

Wuorinen: Grand Bamboula, Chamber Concerto for Cello and Ten Players, Ringing Changes, Concerto for Amplified Violin and Orchestra

The critic Michael Steinberg wrote of the premiere performance [of the Concerto for Amplified Violin] in a Boston Globe article:

"I'm not going to write a review of the work until I have heard it in an adequate performance. Here, however, are a few descriptive remarks: it is a punchy piece that gets aggressively quicker and denser, full of interesting, Carterian rhythmic tensions between things that happen on the beats and things that happen just on one side or the other of them, and full of rich, eruptive, inner detail . . . The solo violin amplification involves a few special effects such as shuddery electronic reverberations around a pizzicato, but mostly it is simply functional, meant to let the solo carry one voice in the polyphonic web of Wuorinen's buoyantly violent discourse. The amplification is done with a violin bridge that has a transfuser built into it leading directly to a preamplifier, and it works well, reproducing violin tones at great volume, but with no extraneous noise and minimal distortion.

"Finally a not-so-reckless prediction: when we hear it properly, Wuorinen's new concerto will prove an exciting work."

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 2:14 pm

A most singular review there, Karl!

As for moi, it is Sibelius 4 (Beecham) and Sibelius 5 (both versions). I'm very fond of the last mvmt. of 5, but prefer the more compact later version.

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 3:44 pm

Bruckner Symphony No. 8 with Jesus Lopez-Cobos (Telarc) conducting the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. While not as sublime as Szell/Cleveland Orchestra of Giulini/VPO, this reading ranks among my very favorites, which also includes the Van Beinum/Concertgebouw recording on Philips. First rate recorded sound and spectacular orchestral playing distinguish this recording. Given the evidence I've heard on Lopez-Cobos' Telarc recordings in Cincinnati, the brass section now surpasses the Chicago Symphony and everyone else save the Cleveland Orchestra.

John

RebLem · Post by **RebLem** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:32 pm

Right now, Charm, I'm listening to Bruckner, too. 3rd Symphony, Jochum, Dresden.

Harold Tucker · Post by **Harold Tucker** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 4:59 pm

Hey Charm,
Head this way! Jesus Lopez-Coboz will be in Cincinnati next Friday and Saturday to conduct Bruckner 8 with an even better orchestra than he had in those days. Alas, I will be out of town for the event.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 6:42 am

Boulez
Le marteau sans maitre

tavernier · Post by **tavernier** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 9:02 am

BuKiNisT wrote:
Dvorak, Symphony No. 9. A new release from TELARC with Paavo Jarvi leading the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. A very good performance of this rarely recorded piece.
Oh yeah, Ralph, I own this one too. A good recording of an outstanding piece

Actually, it's the Martinu Second that's the drawing card here - a superb work that's rarely heard and a good counterweight to the overdone "New World."

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 12:48 pm

Straus, The Chocolate Soldier. Stevens/Merrill/Engel, RCA.

Orff, Catulli Carmina. Ormandy, Columbia.

Humperdinck, Hansel and Gretel. Suitner, Telefunken.

Wolff, Italian Songbook. Ameling/Baldwin, Philips.

Falla, El Amor Brujo; Fanfare. Horne/Bernstein, NYP; Ravel Sheherazade. Horne/ Bernstein, ONF, Columbia.

CharmNewton · Post by **CharmNewton** » Sun Oct 09, 2005 1:34 pm

Harold Tucker wrote:Hey Charm,
Head this way! Jesus Lopez-Coboz will be in Cincinnati next Friday and Saturday to conduct Bruckner 8 with an even better orchestra than he had in those days. Alas, I will be out of town for the event.

I'd love to see him perform the work, but a trip from Portland, OR would be a bit difficult at this time both time and moneywise. The Bruckner 8th is really something to see performed live. Based on his recordings, I believe Lopex-Cobos is one of the great conductors performing today. Since he's only 65, he'd be a good fit for the the Chicago Symphony, assuming he might be interested.

I haven't come across a lot about the Cincinnati Symphony, but they certainly are an elite orchestra.

John

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:38 pm

Here's two from tonight as rains resume-probably the wettest few days in a very long time around here.

I love Vivaldi's music and have many very good recordings. Along comes a truly superlative performance of violin works by the Red Priest. Viktoria Mullova with the outstanding Il Giardino Armonico under Giovanni Antonini perform five concertos and on authentic instruments.

Too tired to list them, the catalogue numbers are RV 208, RV 580, RV 187, RV 234 and RV 277.

Ms. Mullova may well be the last major violinist I expected to go for Baroque but she has been doing that often the past few years. This disc shows she made a wise decision.

ONYX 4001.

And on TELARC we get the Cincinnati S.O. under music director Paavo Jarvi giving an excellent but not markedly special reading of Dvorak's ever popular warhorse, Symphony No. 9. Also on the disc is the less frequently heard Symphony No. 2 of Martinu, an energetic reading of a short and pronouncedly lyrical four-movement work that reflects a somewhat soft spirit. Very nice.

TELARC CD-80616.

karlhenning · Post by **karlhenning** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:12 am

Boulez
Pli selon pli (1957-62/84/89), Portrait de Mallarmé

Huckleberry · Post by **Huckleberry** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 7:00 pm

Barber, VC (:D ), James Buswell, Royal Scottish NO (beautiful slow mvmt.)
& Barber, Serenade for Strings

Conductor: The more-famous-than-ever Alsop

Brahms, PC1, Anton Kuerti, Montreal SO (fine, but not extraordinary)

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:51 pm

Tchaikovsky S#5, Beethoven's "Emperor" (Gruner-Hegge/Oslo Phil.--with Robert Riefling soloing in the latter);

Bartok PC#2 (Sandor/Gielen/VSO);
Mozart S#39 (Fricsay/VSO)

miranda · Post by **miranda** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:43 pm

verdi--requiem

with anne sofie von otter, luba organosova, and the monteverdi choir, conducted by john eliot gardiner. on the philips label.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:02 pm

G & S, Princess Ida. Newport
G & S, The Grand Duke. Albany
Monckton, The Arcadians. Newport
Schubert, Das Dremiäderlhaus (Blossom Time). Albany

Ralph · Post by **Ralph** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:02 pm

Schubert, Symphonies 5 & 6, The Hanover Band under Roy Goodman.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 2:18 am

Domenico Scarlatti: Sonatas K 49-98 VOL. II (3-CD set)

Harpsichord: Pieter-Jan Belder

Baroque violin: Remy Baudet (K81, K88-K91)

Baroque cello: Frank Wakelkamp (K81, K88-K91)

Label: Brilliant Classics

Listening to discs 2 and 3 at the moment, K67-K98

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:26 am

Both on DVD:

Verdi's Requiem: Karajan/La Scala with Price, Pavarotti, etc.

Brahms second: C. Kleiber/VPO

Both spectacularly good performances.

jserraglio · Post by **jserraglio** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:12 am

Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms. Robert Shaw on Telarc.

Charles Ives: Symphony No. 2 - The Gong on the Hook & Ladder - Tone Roads No. 1 - Hymn: Largo Cantabile, for String Orchestra - Hallowe'en - Central Park in the Dark - The Unanswered Question. Leonard Bernstein / New York Philharmonic on DG.

Victor Herbert: The Red Mill (Albany)

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